Jerusalem Day: Yom Yerushalayim

Question

Hi Rabbi,

What is “Jerusalem Day” and what is it called in Hebrew?

Thanks

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    Jerusalem Day – Yom Yerushalayim in Hebrew – is an Israeli holiday that commemorates the date when the Old City of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount returned to Israeli and Jewish possession in 1967 as a result of the Six-Day War.

    The date of Jerusalem Day is Iyar 28, which this year (2023) corresponds to Friday, May 19. (It begins on the previous evening, as do all days in the Jewish calendar.)

    It is interesting to note that this date is also the exact same Hebrew date that commemorates the passing of the prophet Samuel from this world. Samuel, during King David’s reign, played a crucial role in determining Jerusalem as being the correct site for building the Temple.

    The day is marked by State ceremonies, memorial services for soldiers who died in the battle for Jerusalem, and parades throughout downtown Jerusalem. A festive prayer service is scheduled to take place in the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem right after Shabbat. The Western Wall plaza is the site of celebrations of singing, dancing and giving thanks to God for the return of a united Jerusalem.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team